CCPC concerns about fidget spinner safety

May 26, 2017

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has a number of roles in relation to product safety, including carrying out market surveillance to identify products that are potentially unsafe. We are concerned that some fidget spinners for sale in Ireland may not meet minimum EU product safety standards and this could pose a potential risk to consumers.

Since 8 May, the CCPC, in collaboration with Revenue and Customs, has stopped and seized approximately 200,000 fidget spinners. We are currently examining samples of these products and if we find that they do not comply with product safety legislation, they may be sent back to where they originally came from or destroyed.

We are continuing to examine the fidget spinners we have seized. However, so far we have found that some of them do not comply with the legislation in a number of ways, such as:

No visible CE mark

Non-compliant or fake CE marks

No small parts warning

Contained parts that easily detach and pose a serious choking hazard

Consumers should check the following before they buy:

Look for a CE mark but don’t rely on it solely, as the mark may be a fake. The CE marking should be visible and easily legible.

Check the box and packaging for markings or traceable information such as the name and contact details of the manufacturer and/or importer. If this information is missing, do not buy the fidget spinner.

Check if the fidget spinner has any detachable small parts that could lodge in the ears, nose, or throat, and cause an injury to a child. Recent media outlets reported that a 10-year old child required surgery after a fidget spinner part they swallowed became lodged in their oesophagus.

Be wary of buying these products on social media or from a street vendor that may not be an established business.

Reminder to businesses: The CCPC also reminds businesses that manufacture, import, distribute, or sell toys in Ireland that they have a duty to ensure that the goods they sell are safe and compliant. More information about toy safety legislation is available here.